Palestinian farmers denied UK visas for fair trade event
March 02 2010 by Liam Clifford
Three Palestinian farmers have been told that they will not receive UK visas to allow them to attend a Fairtrade event.
The three farmers are the first in the
world to produce fair trade olive oil and have been invited to speak at a
Coventry Fairtrade event, which is part of Fairtrade Fortnight.
Coventry
Fairtrade City steering group chairwoman, Ann Farr, asks, “why has the Border
Agency refused permission to three perfectly ordinary, hardworking farmers from
the West Bank when the Department for International Development aims to promote
investment in Palestine?”
The UK Border Agency has rejected UK visa
applications from Lina Mahmoud, Nahed Beshariah and Belal Eid, in a move that is
“just another barrier that these farmers have to contend with,” according to
Farr.
The famers were invited by UK social enterprise group Zaytoun,
which encourages Fairtrade and promotes ethical consumerism with shoppers and
school children nationwide.
A statement from the UK Border Agency did not
clarify why the UK visas were rejected, but said, "If applications do not
contain the necessary evidence that individuals will stick to the terms of their
visas, they will be refused. The rules are firm but fair and apply to everyone."
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